


A Long Time to Wait

by Stacysmash



Series: Vampires and Werewolves and Giants, Oh my! [7]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Bokurodai established, Daichi's dad is a middle aged hunk, Daichi's dad is human, Fluff, Getting Back Together, Giants, Humor, Light Angst, M/M, No Smut, Romance, Sequel to A Double Dose of Trouble, Sexual Content, Sexual Tension, Supernatural AU - Freeform, Vampire Daichi, Vampire Matsukawa, Vampires, Werewolf Bokuto, Werewolves, past relationship, vampire kuroo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-21
Updated: 2019-10-21
Packaged: 2020-12-27 16:48:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21122042
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stacysmash/pseuds/Stacysmash
Summary: Sawamura Ryohei is attempting to stave off the crippling loneliness after his wife's death two years before. It helps that he's temporarily living with his son Daichi and his two mates, but he can't stay there forever, not when the trio are still in their revolting honeymoon phase (if that willeverend). He's completely at a loss for how to spend the remaining years of his life until an old flame comes back to town, offering him a chance he didn't think was possible.Sequel toA Double Dose of Trouble. Highly recommended you read that first!





	A Long Time to Wait

**Author's Note:**

> Just to reiterate, this is a sequel fic to A Double Dose of Trouble and you may have trouble understanding certain aspects of the fic if you don't read it first. If you're being stubborn and want to read this first (you rebel you), just know that this takes place in a modern alternate universe with supernatural races learning to blend into human society and vice versa through the aid of a government program known as the Ministry of Supernatural Affairs (MSA). Daichi's family were hunters before the MSA was established, going back generations, but typically had a good relationship with vampires as long as there was no war going on and they behaved. Once the MSA is created, hunters are disbanded and brought into the program as agents instead, focused on aiding the other races as they integrate with humans. His first clients happen to be Kuroo, a vampire, and Bokuto, a lovable werewolf, and as much trouble as the duo can be, they're still impossible to resist.

Sawamura Ryohei woke up abruptly, his deep sleep disturbed by pots clanging and outrageously loud singing from the next room. He groaned and turned on his side, his arm reaching out naturally but feeling nothing but cold sheets. It was a harsh fact that he needed to get used to considering his wife had passed away two years ago already. But sleep had never been as sweet since and waking up alone was even harder.

He turned his wrist to squint at his watch and groaned again. At least he was getting used to the strange waking hours in his son’s household. If it bothered him enough, he could always go back to his own house, but the thought just didn’t sit right with him. Even after Daichi’s transformation, he was still his son and it was comforting to be near him. His two rambunctious sons-in-law didn’t seem to mind either, treating him like their own father (even though he remembers Kuroo-san from when he was young).

His body cracked and popped as he sat up in bed, leaning his head back against the headboard. It wasn’t as if he was _very_ old. His fiftieth birthday was right around the corner, so he could have a good two decades left in him still if he was lucky. It was the loneliness that was hard to bear, however, and it made him wonder if he could stand to live on two more years, let alone decades.

Just then, Daichi’s laughter leaked through the door, spreading warmth through his chest and a smile to his lips. It took him a while to come to terms with Daichi’s decision to turn vampire, but he knew now that it was the right choice. He was well-loved by his mates and that was all Ryohei could ever ask for his son. 

Curious about all the racket in the next room, Ryohei finally slipped out of bed and stretched as he lumbered to the door. It was bright in the main space, all the lights on to make up for the darkness outside. The black-out shutters were retracted, however, giving him a perfect view of starlit canopy spread out over the house.

Daichi was sitting at the kitchen bar, typing on his laptop with an amused grin on his face while Bokuto cooked in the kitchen with headphones blasting music into his ears. The werewolf, as Ryohei discovered quickly, rarely wore clothes around the house or even within the confines of their property. For Ryohei’s sake, however, he at least remembered to put on boxers.

When he slipped onto the barstool next to Daichi, his son glanced up at him and gave him a pat on his back. “I hope we didn’t wake you up.”

“You did but it’s fine. I don’t sleep so much anymore.” When he said that, Daichi’s smile slipped a little bit but Ryohei shook his head. “Don’t worry about me, son. I’m alright.”

“Okay. You have looked better since you’ve been staying here. Maybe you should move in officially.”

Ryohei laughed. “And permanently disturb your love nest? No, thank you.”

“You’re not disturbing us.”

“Sawamura-san!” Bokuto yelled, finally realizing Ryohei’s presence. He pulled down his headphones and leaned onto the counter in front of them, his smile more blinding than any light in the house. “Did you sleep okay? I wasn’t too loud, was I?!”

“Um, I was probably going to get up soon anyway.”

Bokuto sagged as his guilt-wracked expression tugged at Ryohei’s heartstrings. He chuckled and reached across the counter to ruffle Bokuto’s spiked hair. Immediately, the werewolf perked up and leaned into his hand, his tail already slipping out to whip around in his delight. 

Bokuto’s eyes flew open as he sniffed the air and gasped. “Shit, the pancakes!” He whirled around and flipped the row of golden-brown pancakes, heaving a sigh. “They’re alright; none burned.”

Daichi snickered and cleared his throat. “Good job, Kou. You’re getting better.”

“Thanks,” Bokuto said shyly, peeking over his shoulder at Daichi. “Hope you’re hungry, Pops!”

Ryohei frowned while Bokuto continued humming his tune, piling up the pancakes on two different plates. “Did he just call me Pops?”

“Yup. Is that alright?”

“Ugh, makes me feel old and I feel old enough already.”

“You’re not old.”

“You’re not old!” Bokuto echoed as he turned around and set a giant plate of pancakes in front of him. “You’re super attractive and healthy. That silver in your hair is super sexy; _almost_ as sexy as mine. If I wasn’t in love with two smoking hot vampires already, I would pounce on you in a heartbeat. Eat up!”

Ryohei pressed his lips together, trying not to laugh. Instead, he took a bite of the pancakes and hummed with pleasure.

“Delicious.”

“Good, I’m glad you like them,” Bokuto said with a bashful smile and shoved a mass of pancakes into his own mouth. Neither of them said anything as they ate. They were totally enthralled with the delicious food, moaning their pleasure and blatantly ignoring the scathing glares coming from his son. 

“Do you both have to do that? It’s hard enough that I have to see them and smell them?”

“Aw, so you can’t have any? Not even a bite?” Ryohei asked, holding up a forkful in front of Daichi’s lips. He truly hadn’t seen his son so sad since he was a child, sent to his room as a punishment. When Daichi let out a pathetic whimper, Bokuto and Ryohei burst out laughing. It cut off quickly as Daichi bared his fangs and growled.

“Why do you have to tease me like that? Don’t you know how much torture it is limiting your diet to blood and _sometimes_ a glass of wine?”

“I’m sorry, Dai. You can’t have it all; it’s the laws of nature.”

“Hmph.” Daichi folded his arms and turned his glare from his father to Bokuto, who flinched immediately from the look. “You know, I’d expect it from him, but _you_?”

“Sorry, baby, I’ll make it up to you!”

“You better... I’m coming up with several ideas already.”

Ryohei coughed at Daichi’s suggestive tone. “I don’t need to know about it.”

“Know about what?” a sly voice came from the side hallway. Kuroo stretched toward the ceiling, groaning as he sauntered into the room.

“How Kou’s going to make it up to me for teasing me so much.”

“What? You were teasing him without me?” Kuroo cackled as Daichi’s glare came back with a vengeance. “Oh boy, you must have done a number on him!”

“We were just enjoying our pancakes,” Ryohei explained and understanding washed over Kuroo’s face.

“Aw, baby,” he cooed, draping himself over Daichi’s back. “I’m sorry you have to be _immortal_, forever staying young and hot. Not to mention super strong.”

Ryohei glanced beside him, watching Daichi’s anger melt away as Kuroo nuzzled into his hair.

“Hmm, well, when you put it like that…”

“See? Why don’t I heat you up some blood? I’ll even let you bite me, and we can pretend I’m some helpless maiden.”

“Shut up, I don’t want that. I mean, I wouldn’t mind a bite—”

“Wow, and I think I’m finished,” Ryohei interrupted, sliding his half-finished plate away.

“Just as well. You should get ready because we’ve got some fun plans.”

Ryohei glanced from his son to his watch. “At this time of night?”

“You do know what we are, right?” Kuroo laughed, grinning wide enough to show off his fangs. “We’re creatures of the night. Join us, Ryohei-saaaan.”

“I don’t know…”

“I think you’d really enjoy it, Dad. There’s a new bar in town that’s welcome to all kinds, open all day and night. It’s not as kitschy as some of them can be. Please?”

Ryohei blinked as suddenly two vampires and one werewolf were gazing at him expectantly, eyes big and pleading. He laughed and ruffled each of their heads in turn.

“Fine, but let’s not stay too long, okay? I’m not as young as I used to be.”

“That’s okay. We’ll be back long before sunrise,” Kuroo said with a wink.

“Then he turns into a pumpkin!” Bokuto joked as he shoveled the rest of the pancakes into his mouth.

“We’ll turn into _something_,” Kuroo muttered, scrunching his face.

After they had all cleaned up and dressed appropriately, Daichi drove them out of the compound and roared over the country roads toward town. Ryohei was thankful they let him stay in the front seat otherwise the car sickness would have been too much. Several times he told Daichi to slow down and all he received back was an incredulous look from his son.

“I _am_ going slow. I’m not even going half as fast as I usually do.”

“Ugh, I don’t want to think about that,” he groaned, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose. “You’re not indestructible, you know.”

“Relax, Dad, we’re almost there.”

“Yeah, just breathe deep!” Bokuto chimed in, leaning up between the seats. “Personally, I think it’s really sexy when he drives fast.”

“Bokuto-kun, I am very relieved that you love my son so much but as I said before, I don’t need any details.”

“Gotcha.”

Despite the unnecessary details, Ryohei did take his advice and kept breathing. It helped to clear his head and keep his breakfast in his stomach where it belonged. To his astonishment, they did arrive at the bar sooner than he expected; the one positive aspect of his son’s zealous driving. 

He stepped out of the car and clutched onto the door, still feeling a little woozy. Kuroo was beside him in a heartbeat, supporting him until his blurry vision cleared.

“You alright, Ryohei-san?”

“Yeah, thanks. Maybe I’ll take a cab home.”

Kuroo laughed softly and then fell quiet, his fingers pressing against the collar of his shirt and pulling it down.

“Hmm, that’s interesting.”

“What is it?” Ryohei asked, glancing up at Kuroo and found him staring curiously at his neck.

“I know the Karasuno hunters had a pact with vampires, feeding them from yourselves if they need it. But your bite marks are long healed over. Not volunteering anymore, even with as healthy as you are?”

Ryohei felt his cheeks burn and he quickly tugged away from Kuroo, shutting the car door behind him. “No… I’m not.”

Kuroo raised his eyebrows but didn’t press the subject. Ryohei didn’t think that he would; Kuroo was always a very clever vampire who picked up on social cues quickly. The two healed dots on his neck seemed to burn into his skin and he couldn’t wait for a distraction from them. 

Bokuto was already inside, bustling around the bar to find a table. Daichi waited at the entrance and held the door open for Ryohei, his dark eyes studying him and Kuroo. Ryohei forced a smile on his face and patted his shoulder, hoping it would reassure his son for at least a while.

“I got one! Over here!” Bokuto shouted over the noise of the crowd and Ryohei snorted. He looked around as he weaved through the tables and found that Daichi was right about the bar. It seemed just like any old bar, no weird themes or creepy drinks. On the other hand, to say the ceiling and doorways were above-average height would be a vast understatement. It even listed a few items on the menu more geared toward the supernatural community but kept them as nondescript as the different types of beer. 

Ryohei smiled; in all honesty, that was all he ever wanted. Giving all sides a proper education on the different races and establishing a few rules to keep everyone from being hurt. It would still take time, but they were off to a better start than he ever thought possible. 

“This place is alright,” he finally said, taking a seat next to Bokuto. Daichi took the seat across from him and Kuroo lounged in the one next to him, stretching his arm across Daichi’s chair. Kuroo’s smirk grew as he stretched his legs underneath the table and Bokuto automatically huffed and started jerking his body around.

“What are you two doing?” Daichi asked without looking up from the menu on the table.

“Playing footsie. Wanna join?”

“Maybe next time when my poor father doesn’t have to tolerate immature behavior.”

“Ouch,” Kuroo said dryly, although the foot wrestling automatically stopped. “Why are you looking at the menu anyway?”

“I’m not looking for me. Here, Dad,” Daichi said, leaning forward and pointing to an item on the menu, “I think you’ll like this beer. It’s locally brewed.”

“Oh, that does look good.”

“It’s on me, by the way.”

“Daichi—”

“No, no, we woke you up from what precious little sleep you get and dragged you out in the middle of the night. Let me buy you a few beers.”

Ryohei laughed and shook his head. “Let’s just start with one beer.”

“Hey, you bastards!” a booming voice laughed beside them. Ryohei flinched and gaped at the massive person standing at the end of their table, muscles bursting out of the tight t-shirt the man wore. It took him a moment to realize that the man wasn’t human at all, but one of the giants of Dateko. And still not full-grown by the looks of it.

“Jeez, Kamasaki. You could wake the dead with that voice,” Kuroo grumbled, sticking a finger in his ear and wiggling it around.

“Pfft, maybe it’ll make you human again. What can I get you all? You two want blood? Warm or iced?”

“Warm,” Daichi said, scrunching up his nose. “Who drinks blood iced?”

“It’s starting to be trendy. I don’t know, it’ll probably fizzle out soon. What about you two?”

Bokuto and Ryohei gave Kamasaki their orders, along with a big appetizer that made Daichi pout all over again. Kuroo chuckled and kissed Daichi’s forehead, whispering something into his ear that no one else could hear. Daichi relaxed and leaned against him, giving Bokuto a reassuring smile as well. 

It was moments like those that Daichi really reminded Ryohei of his late wife, who always knew when to step back and enjoy the moment. He had loved her dearly, something that surprised him since their marriage was arranged. It helped that they had been friends before and he counted himself extremely lucky that being forced to marry only bonded them deeper. Living so long with another person, relying on them, knowing exactly how to make them laugh, it was devastating to lose all of that. 

Ryohei shook his head and took a sip from his beer as soon as Kamasaki set it right in front of him. He didn’t need to dwell on it, death was just a part of being human. One day it would take him as well, but that thought didn’t make him feel any better. He wasn’t so old that he would greet death like an old friend, something his grandfather had done when he finally passed. All Ryohei could think about was leaving Daichi and his siblings behind. 

To his surprise, another pale, handsome face crept in his mind, but he shut that door quickly before he had a chance to dwell on it. Instead, he preoccupied himself with the delicious food and beer, savoring everything with more vigor than he normally would and earning a light kick in the shin for his effort.

“Will it ever get easier?” Daichi asked Kuroo, his face a vision of misery.

“Of course! I hardly remember what any of that crap tastes like anymore.”

“It’s not crap. It’s delicious!”

“Kou, you’re not helping.”

“Oh, sorry. It doesn’t taste as good as you do!” Bokuto insisted with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

Ryohei coughed and sputtered into his glass. “Details, Bokuto,” he wheezed, setting his beer safely back on the table.

“Whoops! Sorry, Pops.”

“You alright, Dad?” Daichi asked, looking not the least bit concerned over his father’s well-being as he picked his own mug off the table. 

“Yeah, I’m fine. Is that how you usually drink it?” he asked, nodding to Daichi’s mug. “It looks like you’re taking a sip of coffee.”

Daichi hummed as he sipped his warm drink, licking his lips as soon as he pulled it away. “Usually. It feels more natural to drink it this way, from a human standpoint.”

“Does it taste good?”

Daichi frowned as he stared into the mug, his thumb skimming around the top of it. “It’s… satisfying. I wouldn’t say it tastes amazing but Tetsu says that’s because I’m not drinking it right from the source.”

“It’s honestly _best_ when you’re intimate with the person,” Kuroo chimed in. “It makes it less of a meal and more about sharing with each other if that makes sense. It adds all these different elements to it… especially if your human survives.” Kuroo chuckled nervously when both Sawamuras gave him a dirty look and he quickly picked up his own mug to drain it.

Ryohei shrugged it off quickly and took another gulp of beer. The truth was, he knew all that already. Pop culture had taken a nugget of truth and ran away with it, making movies and cheesy romance novels about the tantalizing seductions of vampires. The Karasuno hunters may have had a pact with local vampire covens to feed them when they needed it, but every vampire preferred to have a volunteer that they could be more intimate with. 

Sometimes those humans walked away from the event only slightly anemic and dazed from the pleasurable experience. Sometimes things got out of hand and the human disappeared. It wasn’t often, but it did happen from time to time and the hunters would always have to step in and investigate the situation.

The hardest was when a vampire fed from one human perpetually and a bond between them began to form. Usually, three things happened in a situation like that. The first and most common was that they realized their attachment forming and went their separate ways as a form of self-protection. The second was that they decided to become mates with the human allowing themselves to be turned as Daichi had. Third, they continued their attachment until the human died and the vampire was left deranged in the aftermath of their heartbreak.

Ryohei set his mug down and rubbed his neck where the fang marks were still burning. What most people didn’t realize, perhaps even some vampires, that just eating from someone you’re close with could enhance the experience. It didn’t always have to be a quick sexual thing. In fact, in situations like that, the bond formed much faster and became more dangerous. Ryohei knew that all too well.

The nice thing about the bar they were hanging out in was seeing familiar faces. Old retired hunters, vampires, werewolves, several giants, all of them were gathered in one place to have a beer together. The atmosphere was light and the whole bar roared when Kamasaki tried to open a barrel and ended up shattering it with his strength, swamping the whole area behind the bar with whiskey. He was so fed-up that he invited the werewolves to shift and take care of it for no charge just so he wouldn’t have to clean it up himself. Several jumped at the chance, including Bokuto.

“So, Ryohei-san!” Kuroo began after the excitement had died down enough to carry on a conversation.

“You can leave off the _san_, Kuroo. I’ve known you since when I was a kid.”

“Still, you’re my father-in-law and I have to respect that.”

“Whatever, what were you going to ask?” Ryohei laughed.

“When are you going to jump back into the dating pool? I’ve seen several folks looking you up and down since we entered.”

“Tetsu…”

“I know, but it’s been two years and you still have a lot of life left ahead of you is all I’m saying.”

Ryohei sighed as he leaned back in his seat, scratching the back of his head. “I appreciate it, Kuroo, but I don’t know. It’s not easy finding someone you connect with, that you’d like to spend your time with. And I’m retired so I wouldn’t even have work to escape to.”

“It’s not that hard, Dad,” Daichi laughed. “See? I found _two _idiots I want to spend all my time with. There’s plenty of hope for you.”

“Ha! Maybe so.”

Daichi’s smile faded as he gazed down at the table, his fingers drumming against it. “You know, I always found it strange that you were so accepting of my relationship with them. You were concerned about me being with a vampire and werewolf, especially with the shenanigans they could get into, but you never blinked an eye when I said I was in love with two people at the same time.”

Daichi’s eyes raised to meet his, those honest brown eyes that demanded the truth. Ryohei’s pulse raced as he tried to come up with some excuse. He was a father, after all, who loved and trusted his son. But Daichi did have a point; it wasn’t just his quick acceptance that set him apart from their other relatives, it was his lack of surprise.

“What are you really asking me, Daichi?”

“I never doubted that you loved mom. She never did either, but I know your marriage was arranged.”

“Oh, I didn't know that,” Kuroo muttered eagerly.

“Shh. The point is, I always had a feeling that there was someone else. Not that you ever cheated on her, but maybe you gave your heart to someone beforehand. Was that the case?”

“You should have been a damned lawyer, wiggling truths out of people who don’t really care to give it,” Ryohei chuckled and his son finally had the decency to look guilty.

“Sorry.”

“It’s alright. Yes, there was someone else… it’s hard to remember a time when there _wasn’t_ someone else. I think I knew him before I had even met your mother when I was just a child.”

“_Him_? Yes! Kou! You owe me twenty!” Kuroo yelled triumphantly. Bokuto’s human head popped up from behind the counter, licking his lips.

“For what?”

Kuroo cupped his hands around his mouth, lip-syncing the words instead of yelling them out loud, to Ryohei’s great relief. When Bokuto figured out what he was saying, he looked completely dismayed.

“Shit, are you serious? I was so certain…” his voice faded away as he ducked back behind the counter.

“Sorry, continue!” Kuroo chirped, his smirk wide as he gazed at Ryohei expectantly. His smile faded quickly as he received the full force of Ryohei’s glare and shivered. “Wow, so that’s where Daichi gets it.”

“It’s still nothing compared to my mom’s. Go ahead, Dad.”

“There’s nothing to go ahead with. I was close to someone, Grandad didn’t like it, so he arranged the marriage. I ended up with a wife and _he _moved on. End of story.”

“That can’t be it! There were plenty of times growing up where Mats—” Daichi stopped himself suddenly and Ryohei felt his skin go cold.

“What was that?”

“Nothing.”

Daichi shrank down in his seat as Ryohei pushed his beer aside and leaned forward. “Daichi? Are you telling me that you knew about him?”

“Not exactly. I knew you were close, but it wasn’t until I was older that I figured it out.”

“I don’t understand. I never did anything to indicate that there was anything between us. And he’s even more skilled than I am at playing aloof.”

Daichi gulped as he stared into his mug, swirling the contents around. “There was one night in particular that stuck out in my memory when I was very young. A few members of Seijoh stopped by the house to tell you something important, I don’t remember what about, and Mom sent me off to bed before I could listen. I got thirsty though and snuck out of my room, figuring that by then the vampires had all gone. They hadn’t.”

Ryohei frowned, trying to remember that night but found it difficult. There were plenty of times the Seijoh coven stopped by, having the closest relationship with the Karasuno hunters. They were the ones that saved Ryohei’s life when he was a child when his family was attacked by feral vampires, and so Ryohei always trusted them above other vampires.

“So, they were still there that night? Did you overhear something?”

“No, most of them had left. One stayed behind… I peeked in the kitchen and saw him feeding on you.”

“Is that so weird?” Kuroo asked when Ryohei couldn’t answer. “I mean, most hunters fed vampires from time to time.”

“Not like this. When a hunter from our group fed a vampire, it was always very organized. We had a donation house in town where the hunter would volunteer, be assigned a vampire at random, and the feeding was observed for safety’s sake. The truth is, I’ve never seen Dad feed a vampire until that moment. He was well known in town for vomiting all over them whenever their teeth got near him.”

Kuroo’s cackle echoed even over the lively chatter of the room. “Is that true?!”

“Yes,” Ryohei grumbled, his irritation giving him the ability to finally speak up. “There’s only one vampire I’ve ever fed, and I couldn’t stomach it if another came around. It felt dirty.”

“Okay, now I’m getting the picture,” Kuroo said as he leaned in a bit more, his eyes shining with interest. “So, this certain Seijoh vampire stayed behind that night who also happens to be the only one you’ll allow to bite you. Sure, that’s special, Dai, but it doesn’t exactly say love.”

“Do you remember when you would feed from me before we started dating? How at first it was very scheduled, in the bathroom with us barely touching?”

“Yeah, it was so boring.”

“Do you remember when we started touching more? You gripped my arms as you drank from my throat, our bodies pressed together—”

“Shit, stop, it’s too arousing to think about.” Kuroo dropped his head on the table and groaned. “I’m glad I turned you, but I really miss that.”

“That’s basically what I saw in the kitchen that night,” Daichi explained, bringing his gaze back to Ryohei. “It was… intimate. He was leaning you back against the cabinets as he drank from you, your fingers were in his hair and your eyes were closed. It looked like you might have fallen over if he wasn’t holding you so tight, and it wasn’t because he was draining you.”

Ryohei couldn’t remember that night in particular. There were too many nights like it. Matsukawa stayed away from Ryohei as much as he could, desperate not to give his heart completely to a human who was married to someone else. But he never stayed away for long, craving Ryohei’s presence and his blood. 

“Dad? I’m sorry if this brings up bad memories.”

“No, on the contrary, those are very good memories. Sacred ones that I’ve kept locked up for a long time.”

“Why not try again? He’s still alive, you’re still alive…”

“Technically, he’s not alive. And it’s not that simple.”

“Why?”

“Because he moved on. He’s in Tokyo with his family and has been for several years. It’s been the longest we’ve ever been apart, and he’s probably had many lovers in that time. It’s over. Heck, it wasn’t even anything to begin with.” 

Ryohei frowned as he took another drink, not eager to discuss it any longer. It didn’t feel natural talking about Matsukawa out loud. He never discussed his relationship with the vampire with anyone, not even his late wife. It was a secret part of him he treasured and buried deep. The fact that Daichi had noticed had thrown him off completely.

Across the table, Daichi sipped on his mug of blood. Gazing at his contemplative scowl, Ryohei almost thought he was gazing into a mirror that revealed his past self instead of the current. It scared him how alike they were sometimes. Glancing at Kuroo who was slouching in his seat at the sudden increase of awkward tension, Ryohei almost laughed. 

_We would both love a vampire… **and **the physical embodiment of unrestrained love_, he thought as Bokuto bounced back into his seat, his cheeks rosy and eyes glittering with excitement. His wife wasn’t as exuberant as Bokuto, but she was compassionate almost to a fault and didn’t have a judgmental bone in her body. The only difference between him and Daichi was that he could love them both at the same time, and now Ryohei was alone.

“Hey, what did I miss?!”

Kuroo coughed and leaned forward around the edge of the table, motioning for Bokuto to do the same. “I’ll tell you more later, but basically Daichi wants his dad to move on and get some booty, but his dad doesn’t think it’s possible.”

“Ooooh!” As Bokuto whirled in his seat, Ryohei cringed at having his full attention. “You should totally get back out there! And if I know Mama Sawamura, she would want you to do the same!”

“Thanks, Bokuto, but it’s not that easy.”

“Sure, it is! Now let’s see…. Ah! There’s a hot looking siren over there in the corner giving you some lusty eyeballs.”

“That’s not exactly something—”

“Yeah, you’re probably right. Sirens can get a little overzealous during the sex, if you know what I mean,” Bokuto chuckled and turned back around in his seat. He stiffened under the possessive glare of two vampires and cleared his throat. “From what I’ve heard! Will you two relax?”

Kuroo’s shoulders sagged slightly, but his eyes remained pinned on the gorgeous blonde sauntering around the bar. “I don’t trust them. Why can’t they rely on charm and good looks like the rest of us to attract a potential mate? It’s unnatural.”

Daichi snorted. “Funny, I don’t remember much charm while you were wooing me. Do you remember any, Kou?”

“He tried and that’s what matters.”

“Hey! Anyways, big daddy over here has someone on his mind already.”

“Oh! Anybody we know?”

“_Actually_—”

“Ahem, can we talk about something else? Anything else?”

As Bokuto and Kuroo leaned forward to protest, Daichi held up his hand. “He’s right, I think we’ve heckled him enough for one night.”

“Thank you,” Ryohei sighed. “Don’t get me wrong, you boys are sweet to be worried about me. But I’m doing just fine on my own.”

“But you shouldn’t be alone!”

Ryohei flinched at Bokuto’s desperate outburst. “I know I was married for a lot of years, but I don’t need a relationship to be happy, Bokuto.”

“Oh, no, I’m not talking about that. You’re right, you don’t need something romantic, although it’s fun and I think it would be good for you. But more than that, you need some companionship, even if it’s platonic. I know you’re not a wolf, but it goes the same with humans from what I’ve observed. For now, you’re fine because you’re living with us, your family, but that might not be enough for you after a while. All I’m asking is that you don’t shut down possibilities just because you’re stubborn. I know Daichi gets it from somewhere.”

“Hey!”

Ryohei beamed at Bokuto and ruffled his fingers into his hair. He chuckled as his fuzzy ears popped back out and his tail started drumming against his chair. “Thank you, I appreciate that. I will… consider it.”

“Wow, you’re so mature!”

“Why do you say that like _I’m_ not mature?”

While Bokuto and Kuroo snickered at Daichi’s pout, it warmed Ryohei’s heart to see it. Any moment he saw that Daichi was still himself despite being an entirely different species to what he was born as settled any concerns still lingering in his mind. 

“Uh oh,” Kuroo said quietly, his sly grin putting Ryohei on edge, “looks like you’re more irresistible than you think.”

Before he could ask what he meant, a presence appeared next to their table. He turned and slowly looked up at the statuesque blonde that had been eyeing him from across the bar, the siren. Her hazel eyes were startlingly bright, green and brown blending perfectly like vibrant leaves covering a chestnut tree trunk. 

“Hello, handsome,” she purred, her fingers grazing over his shoulders. 

He shivered from the touch and he could feel the air thicken and warm around him. It was alluring and it seemed to cloud the rest of the bar from view. To anyone else, their jaws would have been hanging slack by this point, but Ryohei just coughed and wafted the air around him.

“Hi, can I help you?”

Her smile fell in her confusion while Daichi let out a loud snort. She ignored him and leaned forward, her hand gripping the back of Ryohei’s chair. Breathing deep, she twisted her lips to the side.

“I don’t smell anyone in particular on you, even though you’re having a drink with this,” she paused, gazing coolly at the others and wrinkled her nose, “riff-raff.”

“Pfft, I can’t believe she called us that,” Kuroo laughed into his hand. 

Ryohei cleared his throat and shifted in his seat, wishing she’d give him a little more space. “I’m having a nice drink with my son and his mates. Thank you, but I’m not interested.” He was blasted with another cloud of pheromones and it was his turn to wrinkle his nose. 

“Are you sure? Why don’t you come with me? I could _blow_ your mind.”

Kuroo groaned. “Seriously, is that the best you can come up with? It’s like she’s not even trying.”

“I don’t know, she said _blow _and my mind goes straight to one place. Picturing you two and not her of course.”

“Thanks for that clarification, Kou.”

The siren clicked her tongue and gripped onto Ryohei’s shoulder. “Why don’t you come play with me? I promise it’ll be worth it.”

The door to the bar slammed open and a rush of cool air blew the warm cloud away from their table. The siren glared in that direction, her whole body coiling with tension as if preparing to defend herself against a predator. Ryohei followed her gaze and the whole world went still, the chatter of the bar’s patrons quieted to a hush. 

It was rare that he saw that expression on Matsukawa’s face. Even in a fight, his face was calm and observant. Memories flashed in Ryohei’s mind of every instance he recognized the bloodthirst raging in Matsukawa’s gaze and it almost always coincided with his own life being in danger. Sirens could be bad news, but they didn’t typically kill their victims as they did in the old days. Whatever the reason for the lethal aura emanating around Matsukawa as he strode toward them, Ryohei couldn’t help but feeling a fiendish delight at seeing it. 

At first, Matsukawa said nothing, stretching himself up to full height while staring down at the siren’s hand still locked onto Ryohei’s shoulder. She released him immediately and crossed her arms, lifting her chin in defiance.

“What’s your deal? I don’t smell you on him at all, you have no claim to him.”

Matsukawa stepped forward, causing her to stumble back. His long fingers spread over the place her hand had been, rubbing it as if erasing any evidence that she had ever touched him. Ryohei’s chest clenched, feeling Matsukawa’s hand on him at last after so many years. It took every ounce of strength not to grab his hand and kiss it.

“He’s not just some possession or trophy you can claim… bitch.”

Laughter sputtered around the table and even Ryohei had to bite his lip to keep from joining the others in their amusement. The siren gasped and opened her mouth to retort but Matsukawa snarled, flashing his fangs in an unveiled threat. She flinched away, fear finally cracking through her cool features. With a scoff, she pivoted on her feet and wandered over to another table.

Scattered applause erupted around their table, but Matsukawa remained stiff and defensive, his gaze following the siren as she retreated. Ryohei huffed in feigned irritation, pretending he didn’t enjoy Matsukawa’s instinctual possessiveness over him. He stood up and reached up to cup his cheek, smiling as Matsukawa blinked and finally turned his gaze toward him.

“I think you scared her away properly.”

Matsukawa smirked and leaned into his touch. “If I had scared her away properly, she would already be in her car traveling to the next town over.” His hand moved from his shoulder to his neck, thumb caressing over a set of healed fang marks. “Hi, Ryo.”

“Hey. You’re, um, back?”

“Yeah.”

“For how long?”

Matsukawa’s smirk softened into a warm smile. “For good.”

Ryohei’s breath hitched, his lips parting but no words could be mustered. Matsukawa nodded, understanding completely as he pulled Ryohei towards him. He was no more able to resist his embrace than the moon could pull away from its Earth. It didn’t matter if they ever had the chance to love on each other the way he craved to when he was a young man, Bokuto was right. Embracing Matsukawa felt like coming home, and feeling the sigh flutter through his hair, he knew the feeling was requited. 

“I missed you,” he finally admitted, nuzzling into Matsukawa’s neck and breathing in his scent. 

“I missed you, too. I’m sorry I’ve been away for so long.”

Ryohei chuckled. “It’s not like I can blame you for that. Tokyo is a lot livelier than here. Plus, your family is there, right?”

Matsukawa hummed and leaned back enough to see his face. “After all these years, we’re finally starting to scatter. Times aren’t what they used to be with the MSA opening all sorts of opportunities. Most of them have taken on mates and are settling down.”

“Oh, I see. Even Hanamaki?”

Matsukawa snickered. “Not yet, he’s having too much fun. Honestly, with me here he’ll probably come back soon enough.”

“Good. I missed him, too.”

“Not as much as me though, right?”

Their focus on each other was startled as Kuroo chuckled. “Wow. I never thought I’d see the day when Matsukawa gets so petty and jealous! Dai, why didn’t you tell me about this sooner? I could have been teasing him this whole time.”

Daichi rolled his eyes, coincidentally the same time Ryohei did. “Quiet. You’re disturbing their heartfelt reunion.”

“Yeah, man! They had a good mood going on!”

“Ah, sorry!”

Ryohei felt a little embarrassed, latching onto Matsukawa so quickly in front of his son and his mates. But as his eyes locked onto Daichi’s, who seemed unnervingly amused by everything, he glared down suspiciously at him.

“Daichi?”

“Yeah?”

“Did you invite Matsukawa here tonight?”

Daichi’s lips twisted, trying to hold back a smile. His eyes, although an ominous dark red, remained large and brimming with innocence. 

“No, I didn’t invite him. It must be fate.” When Ryohei’s scowl intensified, Daichi laughed. “Seriously! I’m not lying. Although… I may have known he was coming back to town.”

“And you chose not to tell me?”

“I was getting around to it, but we were interrupted by that chick. And now Matsukawa-san is here, so now there’s no need. Surprise!”

Before Ryohei had a chance to chide his son anymore, Matsukawa chuckled and ruffled Daichi’s hair. “That’s my boy.”

“I’m sorry, _your_ boy?”

“I haven’t even had the chance to see you since turning. It suits you well.”

“Thanks!” Daichi chirped back, preening from Matsukawa’s attention. Ryohei glanced at the other two at the table, expecting another bout of jealousy, but Bokuto and Kuroo were leaning toward each other on the table as they watched the scene with goofy grins. 

Ryohei sighed and turned back to Matsukawa. “Why are you treating him like he’s your kid or something?”

“He practically is.”

“No, he’s not.”

“Sorry to break this to you, Ryo, but Daichi has more resemblance to me than you now. See? He even has my eyes.”

Ryohei frowned as Matsukawa knelt beside Daichi and together they blinked their matching red eyes up at him. “Not convinced. They’re still shaped like mine.”

“Ah, well, I can’t help that part. Son, will you be alright with your boys if I kidnap your father for the rest of the night?”

“Sure, you can have him! Just, um, make sure you text us when you’re on your way back. Otherwise, Kou will be naked again.”

“I’m fairly sure we’ll all be naked,” Kuroo snickered. “Take your time, Ryohei-san! Matsukawa, make sure you mark and scent that man up thoroughly. He’s too handsome to leave unattended.”

“I intend to. Come on, Ryo.”

Ryohei glared at each of them in turn as he pulled his jacket from the back of his chair. “Traitors.”

Matsukawa’s arm circled around his back and guided him out the bar, and Ryohei sighed as his _charming_ sons sputtered with laughter behind him. “Is it appropriate to ground a son-in-law?”

“You can always threaten them with a shotgun.”

“I don’t think that would scare a vampire and a werewolf.”

“Well, you don’t want to kill them, right?”

“No, I just need to retain my fatherly dignity somehow.” Ryohei smiled at Matsukawa’s deep chuckles. “Where are we going? Did you take a bus to get here?” he asked when they bypassed the parking lot.

“Nah, my place is close by.”

“Right in the middle of town? Oh, I guess you’re used to living in the city now.”

“I am, but that’s not the reason. I’ll show you once we get up there.”

Ryohei gazed up at Matsukawa, curious about the excitement humming underneath his calm exterior. While he was staring at him, he noticed a new earring added to the few others decorating his ear and couldn’t resist reaching up and stroking his fingers over it. Matsukawa naturally leaned into his touch.

“What is it?”

“Another earring. Just wondering what else has changed since you’ve been away.”

Matsukawa hummed. “My style hasn’t changed too much and I’m sure my personality is exactly as it was. I do have different… priorities, I guess you could say. Interests?”

“Like what?”

“I told you, I’ll show you once we get up to my apartment.”

“Why are you being so secretive?” he asked, his amusement leaking through his voice as he chuckled.

“You’ll find out soon. It’s nothing bad. In fact, it’s amazing.”

Ryohei nodded but didn’t press the subject. He realized with a shock that he wasn’t tired anymore, even though he hardly had any sleep and it was still the dark hours of the early morning. It was lively spending time with Daichi, Bokuto, and Kuroo, but it wasn’t until Matsukawa showed up and sent his heart racing that he started to feel more awake. 

There weren’t many people around at that time, just people staggering home from the bar or couples heading toward the love hotels in the area. With Matsukawa’s arm still around him, he was certain they looked like a couple themselves. They never even had the chance to be one of those thanks to his racist and overbearing grandfather.

After his father was murdered by a group of feral vampires, he and his mother moved in with his grandfather. He was protective over Ryohei but also expected him to be a ruthless hunter, training him to be a cold-hearted killer whenever it came to any of the supernatural races. That was one thing he could never be, not when one of his clearest memories of his childhood was when the Seijoh vampires rescued him and his mother. 

It was Matsukawa in particular that coaxed him out of a wardrobe in the attic where he had been hiding during the attack. His calm demeanor was a comfort to Ryohei, and a bond was woven between them at that moment. A bond that transcended most human relationships and couldn’t be explained by mere words. If Ryohei had his way, he would have become Matsukawa’s mate and turned vampire as soon as he was old enough. 

“What are you thinking about?” Matsukawa asked against his temple, his lips cool against his skin.

“How are we always like this?”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know, just slipping back into _this_,” he said vaguely as he leaned into Matsukawa’s side. “You haven’t held me this close since before I was married.”

“Well, there have been a few times.”

“I don’t count when you were feeding off me. You could hardly help it.”

“I could, I just didn’t want to,” he purred, his hand slipping down to his waist. “It was the only time I had you all to myself again. But I see what you’re saying. I imagine it has something to do with the fact that you’ll always be the most important person to me.”

Ryohei turned his gaze away, trying to hide the blush spreading across his cheeks. He squeezed his eyes shut as Matsukawa’s breath ghosted over his ear.

“What? You’re not going to reciprocate? I thought you cared about me.”

“Shut up. You know you’re one of the most important people to me too.”

“One of them?”

“You know I loved my wife, and I have three children.”

“So, I’m behind them, equal? Come on, where do I stand?”

Ryohei laughed and bumped him with his hip, but Matsukawa’s grip on his waist kept their bodies together. “I would say it’s close.”

“Fine, I’ll accept that… for now.”

They fell quiet as Matsukawa’s words hung in the air above them, ready to snatch back up as soon as Ryohei was prepared to pursue that subject. For now, he was content to bask in his presence. He was nearly fifty years old, experienced and still strong in body since he never failed in his daily workout. Although his job as a hunter was over, he felt confident he could still handle himself in a fight. Whenever Matsukawa was near, however, he felt completely protected and he was finally able to relax a little. He may be only _one _of the most important people to Ryohei, but there was no one he trusted more.

“Here it is,” Matsukawa said, steering Ryohei into an apartment building. 

Gazing up at it, Ryohei couldn’t hold back a laugh. “I can’t imagine you living here. Or is it only temporary?”

“What’s wrong with it?”

“It’s just so normal. I’m used to you living in the Seijoh mansion.”

Matsukawa huffed out a laugh. “Okay, I see your point. You should have seen the building Oikawa owns in Tokyo. He spared no expense to make us all comfortable but honestly, this is more my style. And it’s friendly to supernatural races, so there’s that.”

Matsukawa’s style… images flooded Ryohei’s mind of the few times he’d seen Matsukawa’s private quarters in the mansion. It was minimalistic, strangely modern for a vampire since most of their belongings were decades and sometimes even centuries old. Matsukawa always enjoyed simplicity, so it made perfect sense that he would opt for a humble apartment rather than something more ostentatious.

Of course, humble wasn’t quite the right word he found as they climbed the staircase. It was a high-class apartment complex, not grotesquely decorated but Ryohei could tell the finishings were top quality. When they made it to Matsukawa’s floor, they even passed by an apartment with a steel door and specific instructions not to ring the doorbell when delivering a package. 

“This place is designed for supernatural races, isn’t it?”

“Yeah, but I think there are a couple of humans living in the building. They may even be retired hunters.” He laughed softly as he paused in front of a door, gazing at Ryohei thoughtfully. “Perhaps you can identify with them. After generations of fighting and controlling other races, they feel more comfortable with them than their own kind.”

Ryohei smirked and nodded. “Yeah… I know how it feels. I hope they don’t give you any trouble.”

“Nah, the MSA program is working well. There are still a lot of kinks that need to be worked out, but I can assure you that the last few years have made more progress between our species than ever before. Um, here we are,” he murmured as he quickly unlocked the door and opened it, allowing Ryohei to step inside first.

It was dark inside with the lights off, but he gasped at the large picture window directly across from the door. Sendai wasn’t a large city compared to Tokyo, but it offered a beautiful scene of glittering buildings and the warm glow of lantern-lit markets that were open all night long. Ryohei hopped out of his shoes and carefully shuffled through the room until he stood right in front of it.

“Now I can see why you like this place. The view is incredible!”

Matsukawa chuckled and shut the door but didn’t turn on the lights. Ryohei smiled as he listened to his soft footsteps coming closer, anticipating long, muscular arms to wrap around his waist and a gentle breath in his hair. When the touch didn’t come and Matsukawa opted instead to lean against the window next to him, Ryohei’s mood dropped like a ton of bricks.

“What’s with that pout?” Matsukawa laughed. Usually, he would take the opportunity to poke his cheek or grab his bottom lip in jest, but he kept his arms crossed tightly in front of him. 

“I’m not pouting.”

When Matsukawa snorted in response, Ryohei huffed and gazed back out at the magical scene, hoping to retain an ounce of the mood they had before. It was difficult when all he could think about was why Matsukawa suddenly wasn’t touching him. He certainly had no trouble when they were in public, so why change now? Did he have something important to tell Ryohei and he was afraid to say it? Did he meet someone in Tokyo and was reluctant to tell him the truth?

He blinked rapidly, snapping out of his mental descent before he freaked out even more. The last thing he wanted to do was ruin the precious time they had together. It was only then that he realized Matsukawa’s gaze was on him only, paying no attention to the beautiful view out the window. 

Ryohei rubbed the back of his head, hoping the darkness of the room hid any hint of a blush on his cheeks. “So, you seemed excited about this apartment. Is it just because of the other species present, or is it the view?”

Matsukawa brightened immediately and straightened up off the window. Ryohei was amused at seeing him so enthusiastic about something, especially as he slipped behind him and pointed straight out the window. 

“See that dark shape out there with no lights on?”

“The old hospital.”

“Very good, Ryo! Well, this place is conveniently close to it, which is nice considering I bought the place.”

“You bought the hospital?! It’s falling apart and some say it’s even haunted!”

“No, no, there are no ghosts. I checked. Ends up there was a nest of banshees inside but we’ve made safe accommodations for them elsewhere. At the moment, we’re cleaning it up and making sure the structure is safe for renovations.”

Ryohei turned around and leaned back against the glass. “That’s great, Issei, but what do you want it for?”

“For my next project in life. Once it’s complete, I’ll be opening my own hospital catering to the supernatural races. We’ll have everything from an emergency room, clinic, surgeries, maternity ward, and an entire center devoted to research.”

For a while, Ryohei couldn’t speak. Building a hospital that could treat all the supernatural species wasn’t just a project, it was a massive undertaking. Of course, that was from his narrow human perspective.

“That’s amazing, but how can you even afford this?”

“The building and renovations I can handle. I’ve made plenty of investments over the years and it’s easy to save money while living with a coven of vampires, shared rent and all that. As far as medical knowledge goes, I’ve been studying and researching on my own for the past ten years. I’m no doctor, but I have a general understanding of most species and their anatomy and common diseases. Through my studies, I’ve made many connections and gathered funding, so now it’s finally time to make it a reality. 

I’m working with the MSA to make sure proper standards are met, but they’re enthusiastic about the whole project and have been a huge help getting started. It’s going to provide a lot of jobs for many species that weren’t available before, although I plan on hiring some humans as well if they fit the criteria. It’s going to change a lot of things I hope for the better.” Matsukawa took a deep breath, his eyes searching Ryohei’s face. “So, what do you think?”

Ryohei huffed out a laugh. “I think it’s incredible! I know that some of the races have had to rely on their own healers for centuries to take care of sickness and injuries. Now they’ll have a comfortable and sterile environment to be in while being treated by professionals with more knowledge and equipment. The MSA itself has provided a huge boost in progress in stabilizing the relationship between races, but this could push it even further. It’s genius. How long have you been planning this?”

Matsukawa shrugged. “I don’t know, a long while? It was probably over a century ago I first had the idea, but back then it was impossible. It was during one of the final wars and even if the races had somewhere to go to be treated, I’m certain the hunters of the time would have targeted it.”

“Oh, I see. And now is probably the perfect time to establish it. What kind of research would be going on there? Nothing weird right?”

Matsukawa winced and his gaze slid away from him. “Well, that would depend on your definition of weird. I think most of it will be your run-of-the-mill research, creating vaccines for common diseases and such. Then we’ll have some, you know, genetic enhancement and alteration.”

“What? That sounds like a bad idea.”

“You want to tell that to Daichi and Kuroo?”

“Huh? What does that have to do with them?”

Matsukawa didn’t answer at first, just arching an eyebrow. “Kuroo has already picked his office out in the facility to conduct his research and tests. He knows he’ll always have Daichi, and vice versa, but they’re not just going to sit back and watch their mate age and die if there’s something they can do about it.”

“Oh… that explains a lot. They’ve never just come out and mentioned it, but there’s always this tension between them all whenever Bokuto talks about getting older. I don’t think it used to bother Daichi, but now…”

“Now he’s a vampire. It changes your perspective.”

Ryohei nodded and for a while, neither of them said anything. The revelation still had him stunned, sensing a powerful change coming from Matsukawa’s actions. It filled him with pride, although technically he had no binding attachment to Matsukawa beyond the bond of lifelong friendship. That hardly mattered to him; their relationship didn’t need a label to be special. 

He startled when he realized that Matsukawa had leaned further toward him, staring at him so intensely that he wondered if he was seeing straight into his mind. “What is it?” 

Matsukawa smiled, that secretive smile he gave him whenever he wasn’t willing to divulge his thoughts. “Do you want anything to drink? Oh, I bet you’re hungry. My fridge is fully stocked if you wanted something to eat.”

“Fully stocked of _what_?”

“Food, dummy. And packets of blood, but I know better than to offer you that.”

While Ryohei’s head was still spinning from the odd subject change, Matsukawa raised his hand and clapped them twice. The lights flickered on and Ryohei buckled over with laughter.

“You have a clapper?!”

“What kind of question is that? _Of course_, I have a clapper. It’s only the single greatest invention of the twentieth century.”

Ryohei struggled to breathe through his chortles as he followed Matsukawa into the kitchen, his sides aching and tears leaking out of his eyes. 

“Come on, it’s not that funny.”

“It’s amazing. Oh my god, I haven’t laughed this hard in ages.” He let out an exhausted breath as he fell into a chair at a small table situated in the middle of the kitchen. “It’s so you. You’re constantly putting out this cool, refined vibe, and then you do something so corny. I think it’s one of the things I love most about you.”

A few bottles clinked together in the fridge, startling him. He glanced over his shoulder at Matsukawa, seeming a bit flustered as he searched the contents inside. He didn’t respond, however, and the seed of worry was rapidly growing in Ryohei’s gut. 

“Listen, I don’t need anything to eat, I’m fine.”

“Are you sure? I don’t want to— I mean, it’s not like I _expect_ you to…”

“Expect me to what? What’s going on with you? You’re making me nervous.”

Matsukawa slammed the fridge door shut and leaned against it. He sighed, raking his fingers through his hair, and finally returned Ryohei’s gaze.

“I’m sorry. I was so excited to see you, but it’s been so long and so much as happened. There are opportunities for us that we’ve never had but I don’t want to assume anything.”

“Did you want to feed from me? Is that what this is about? Bokuto fed me a massive plate of pancakes not long ago and I think I’ll be full for a week.”

“Well, no. I mean, yes, I do want to feed from you if that’s okay.”

“Of course, it is! How do you think I’ve felt these past few years knowing you’re biting someone else’s neck?” Ryohei pinched his lips shut, immediately regretting the words.

Matsukawa’s hesitancy faded with a smirk and his eyebrows slowly rose up. “Oh _really_? Ryo, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were jealous.”

“I’m not. I know you have to do what you have to, survival and all that shit. Stop laughing.”

“I can’t help it, you’re too cute.”

“I’m too old to be cute.”

“False. You’re absolutely adorable and no amount of time can change that.”

“I’m not a child, Issei.”

“No… you’re not.” His deep voice sent a shiver up Ryohei’s spine and Matsukawa’s gaze was growing in heat as he leaned over him, gripping the back of his chair. His eyes searched Ryohei’s face, finally traveling down the length of his neck. The healed fang marks throbbed with a phantom ache, his skin craving to be broken once again.

“Your heart rate is increasing. What are you thinking about?”

Ryohei didn’t miss the tease in his tone, nor the smirk rising on his lips. He was being baited; he knew it. 

“I’m just excited,” he said softly as he reached up to curl his fingers into Matsukawa’s shirt, “for you to bite me again.”

There was no greater victory than watching Matsukawa gulp. When he snickered at the reaction, he was suddenly snatched out of the chair and dragged out of the kitchen. His heart drummed against his chest, his whole body trembling at the thought of what fate awaited him in Matsukawa’s bedroom. 

As he expected, the room had minimal furnishings. The unnecessarily large bed rested nearly on the floor, adorned with plain linens. There was a large window in that room as well, the lights of the city illuminating everything enough that there was no need for any lights. 

Ryohei turned around as Matsukawa shut the door quietly behind him but made no move to come in any further. The strange uncertainty was starting to resurface and Ryohei was growing impatient with it. 

“Issei, tell me what’s wrong. When have you ever hesitated with me? Do you still want me?”

“Yes!” Matsukawa answered quickly. “But that’s just it. Before we do this, there are some things we need to talk about.”

“Like what?”

At last, Matsukawa left the door. Instead of coming closer to Ryohei though, he paced around the room in a fury. 

“Do you remember when you were younger, and you asked me to make you my mate?”

Matsukawa paused his quick stride when he failed to answer. Ryohei couldn’t help it, the question throwing him off-balance. It was the last thing he expected him to bring up.

“How could I forget? I was prepared to risk everything at the time. I wanted to belong to you and you to me. And then you refused.” He rubbed his chest, trying to soothe the sudden ache within it. 

Matsukawa’s eyes watched the motion, wincing as if he felt the pain himself. “I couldn’t do it. It would have caused a war. Your grandfather—”

“I know,” Ryohei said with a reassuring smile. He stepped closer to him with his hand outstretched and the ache in his chest subsided as Matsukawa immediately leaned into his touch. “I know, Issei. I didn’t understand back then, but I was young. Looking back at how much progress has been made with the relationship between humans and vampires, none of it would have been possible if you had turned me back then. You were older and wiser than I was.”

Matsukawa grabbed his hand cupped around his face and turned into it, kissing his palm gently. “I don’t regret refusing you back then, although it gave me great pain. Ever since then, I’ve had to keep this wall up between us and I’m sick of it. Ryo… do you ever think you could consider it again?”

Ryohei’s eyes widened, his mouth falling open with his surprise. The possibility of being Matsukawa’s mate seemed nonexistent to him after the initial refusal. He had been married soon after and the years crept by slowly as he aged while Matsukawa stayed the same. A part of his heart would always belong to him, yet he never felt sure that he possessed any of Matsukawa’s. There wasn’t a shred of hope for him to hold onto.

“I… I didn’t think you’d want me.”

“What?! Why the hell would I not want you?”

“I’m old!”

“I’m older than you!”

“You know what I mean! I’m nearly fifty years old, Issei. I have silver in my hair and wrinkles on my face.”

“You have _just_ enough of both those things to be supremely hot. Seriously, you were a handsome young lad at twenty-one, but I swear every year you increase your handsomeness as if you were making a nasty deal with the devil. And your body is in excellent condition, I might add,” he said as his fingers slid up his shirt and grazed across his stomach. Matsukawa closed his eyes and released a long breath. “Fuck, I want to tear you apart. Sexually, I mean.”

“Alright, I get it!” Ryohei huffed, certain his face was on fire. “Listen, I’m not against it, but I will need to think about it. Turning is a big deal, I just went through this with Daichi.”

“Exactly! Wouldn’t it be wonderful for little Daichi to have his father around for eternity?”

“Stop pitting my son against me.”

Ryohei rolled his eyes as Matsukawa smirked. The amused expression faded however as Matsukawa stepped closer and cupped Ryohei’s face in his hands. 

“Seriously though, I won’t pressure you. We don’t have to decide anything right away. I just want you to consider it for my sake. Would you?”

Ryohei smiled and tipped his face up as an invitation. “I’ll consider it, of course. It might take some time to decide.”

Matsukawa’s smile was radiant as he leaned toward him. “That’s all I can ask.”

The touch of his lips was soft and cool, but just as familiar to him as they were decades ago when they had last kissed. The times Matsukawa fed from him always felt deeply intimate, but that was all they allowed themselves once Ryohei was married. Nothing held them back now as Matsukawa deepened the kiss, his hands slipping down his arms and gripping them tightly. 

Ryohei hummed between their lips as his fingers nestled into Matsukawa’s silky hair. There was nothing like it in the world, no luxurious material soft enough to compare to the black curls tickling his skin. It was exactly as he remembered it.

It was always a struggle keeping his undying love for Matsukawa under control and hidden from the rest of the world. It took years of burying and distractions to succeed but now the dam was broken, and all his feelings rushed to the surface. He was overwhelmed, released from the bounds set on him by his grandfather long since dead. Even as they poured their frustrations and desires into their kisses, Matsukawa was still not close enough to satisfy him. As always, Matsukawa could sense exactly what he needed. 

Ryohei was no lightweight. He wasn’t the tallest person, but he was stocky and muscular. Regardless of that, Matsukawa lifted him up and walked toward the bed as if he weighed nothing. It turned him on even more than he already was, and he moaned loudly to let Matsukawa know about it. 

There was an answering growl and suddenly he was plowed into the plush mattress. Matsukawa was everywhere, his fingers raking up his sides and pulling his shirt up with it. His kisses were messy as he tried to maneuver Ryohei out of his clothes, their lips breaking apart only to yank his shirt over his head. Only then did Matsukawa pause, gazing down at Ryohei as if he was a priceless piece of treasure. 

“Like what you see?” Ryohei chuckled, trying to mask the flutter of nerves. “I’m sure I’ve changed a lot.”

“You have in ways. More scars, more hair.” Matsukawa smirked as he grazed his fingers over his chest, twirling them into the sparse hairs decorating it. He laughed as Ryohei swatted him away. “Don’t worry, I like it. And may I add, Ryo, that _this_ proves what a healthy young man you are,” he cooed as he palmed the bulge in his jeans. 

Ryohei hissed, his entire body shuddering from the touch. “Maybe, or it’s just because it’s you. Do you still remember how to handle it?” he teased, leering up at him as he curled his fingers into his shirt. 

“Oh ho ho, now _that_ is a challenge I can handle.”

“Then prove it.”

Matsukawa answered with a wide grin, fangs glinting in the light pouring in from the city beyond the window. Ryohei’s skin warmed as he leaned back against the pillow, instinctually turning his head away to bare his neck. His heart raced as a switch flipped in Matsukawa’s expression, the predator in him emerging as he licked his lips. 

Ryohei’s breath hitched as he dove in, breath hot against his throat. Instead of the hard graze of his teeth, he felt plush lips press against it instead, lifting off only to press more kisses over his sensitive skin. 

“You think I have no self-control at my age?”

Ryohei smirked and rolled his hips up, rubbing their erections against each other. “I know it, but that’s a challenge _I’m_ willing to conquer.”

Matsukawa groaned as he straightened up only enough to glare down at him. “You little shit.”

“But you love me.”

The world around them hazed as Matsukawa beamed down at him. His hand stroked through his hair as he whispered, “Oh, I really do… and I always will.”

_Always_…

It was rare for a vampire to speak in such open-ended terms, forever having a completely different meaning than what it does to a human. Ryohei’s heart continued throbbing while Matsukawa’s promise sank in. He smiled back at him as he cupped his cheek, bringing him closer for another kiss. 

Yesterday, it felt like his life was steadily drawing toward an end. Now he had the chance to start a whole new one with Matsukawa, something that only seemed possible in his wildest dreams. He would still take a little time deciding but in his heart, he already knew that his soul was bound to Matsukawa’s, just as it always has been.

**Author's Note:**

> Lol I know this fic is crazy. Who wants to read about Matsukawa getting together with Daichi's father? XD I couldn't help it though, I had the idea long ago while I was still writing A Double Dose, which I completed almost a year ago. There are little itty bitty hints of this ship in DD as well as the prequel I wrote, A Foreboding Sense of Trouble.  
I loved revisiting the progressing relationship between Bokurodai after their move back to Daichi's hometown and his turning. They're so cute, funny, and in love <3 I say over and over that I'm probably done with this AU, but then I always do more, so who knows? Not promising anything but I'll leave it open, especially since there are so many characters and ships I could develop more.  
I hope you enjoyed it! ✧*｡٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و✧*｡


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